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Successful NAFTA Renegotiation Could Enhance North American Global Competitiveness

23 August 2017

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CANADA - The Canadian Meat Council suggests a successful NAFTA renegotiation could enhance the competitiveness of Canada, the United States and Mexico in international markets for meat, writes Bruce Cochrane.

The first round of negotiations aimed at renewing the North American Free Trade Agreement concluded Sunday.

Ron Davidson, the Director of International Trade, Government and Media Relations with Canadian Meat Council, says the North American livestock and meat sectors are very closely aligned in their support for NAFTA.

Ron Davidson-Canadian Meat Council

These industries are already well integrated.

We all gain because we all are export dependant.

We need to move meat off this continent and we all gain when the continental market is the most efficient and the most effective in the world because our real competitors in the important markets of the world, like Japan and like China, South Korea, other countries, our real competitors are from South America, from Australia, New Zealand, from Europe and therefore we gain by working together to have the most competitive North American industry possible.

I can't speak for other sectors but, in the case of the meat industry, when the industry, the producers and the processors on both sides of the table agree on how their industry can best be supported by the negotiations, I don't understand why the governments would go in a different direction.

When we have a joint perspective on how to maintain competitiveness and increase jobs in our respective markets, I would anticipate that a job oriented negotiation is going to support that position so we are optimistic that the outcome of this negotiation will actually facilitate the movement of products across our borders to enhance the competitiveness of the continental market.

Mr Davidson is confident, at the end of the day, there will be a positive outcome for livestock producers and meat processors in North America.